The Manga Thread

[Mags she/they]

I've noticed after lurking in this part of the forums as of late that we don't have a manga thread! I'm always hesitant to bring up manga specific conversation in the anime thread because I don't want to get off topic. That, and the 'currently reading' thread isn't really meant for discussion, though I've talked about manga there before.

So here's a thread to discuss manga in general!! I'd say we could have this be a bit of an umbrella thread for Manhwa and Manhau as well, since I don't know if there's a big enough audience for them on the Shard to constitute them having their own threads. (I guess if we end up having a ton of Manhwa/Manhua discussion despite my predictions, I can just update the title).

To kickstart discussion, I thought it'd be fun to have a few base questions:

What's you're favorite manga?

What manga are you currently reading, or read last?

Have any interesting manga recommendations?

Manga you plan to start soon?

My answers:

Fav manga:

Probably Fullmetal Alchemist or The Legend of Aslan (both hiromu arakawa ahhahahh)

Currently reading:

Technically, I'm not all caught up on Witch Hat Atelier because my library doesn't have some of the latest volumes. I'll find a way to finish it eventually .

Recommendation:

I'd recommend Mushishi! It's a really interesting and atmospheric manga about a doctor traveling across rural Japan fixing odd problems caused by nature spirit creature things. Each chapter is a new story, and I really loved it.

Plan to start:

Frieren!! I really want to read it but none of my local places have it . . . I may just have to collect it heheheh. But anyway, I want to read as much as possible before s2 of the anime comes out.

Edited February 27, 2025 by Magi

[+Slowswift]

Love you too  

I'll start by mentioning that, for anyone interested, the VIZ Media and Shonen Jump apps have functionally unlimited access (100 chapters/day, IIRC) for a very reasonable subscription. 

Regarding my favorite, I'm going to cheat and mention three (but they're entirely different genres, so nyeh). 

1. is SPY x FAMILY (go figure). The perfect blend of tense, moving plot and goofy shenanigans with an art style I find really appealing. 
2. is We Never Learn. It's possibly the best harem romance* out there. Not only is the MC a genuinely great guy with satisfying character growth, the author decided he wasn't satisfied with a single ending--no, he was going to give each of the girls their own alternate ending volume. Truly the GOAT.
3. Cross Manage is an adorable, short (canceled early, never made it to print in the US) sports manga about a guy managing a struggling girls' lacrosse team. I come back to this one every once in a while because it's medicine for the soul.

Currently reading Blue Box as it comes out. There's a handful that I've started and haven't yet finished or caught up with (yay burnout!), such as Komi Can't Communicate, Fly Me to the Moon, Chainsaw Man, One Punch Man, Undead Unluck, and Akane-banashi, and Frieren.

* I really, really hate the name for this genre, but this is the world we live in.

Edited February 27, 2025 by Slowswift

[#1 Taln Fan he/him]

2 hours ago, Slowswift said:

SPY x FAMILY

Spy family is excellent, and def one of my favorites. I also really enjoyed Solo Leveling, though it's technically manhwa 

[Mags she/they]

(not me spelling Manhwa wrong aksldfj;alsdkf;kl;ljf;alsdkf it's fixed now)

4 hours ago, Slowswift said:

• is SPY x FAMILY (go figure). The perfect blend of tense, moving plot and goofy shenanigans with an art style I find really appealing. 

No way, Loids favorite manga is SPY X FAMILY? I never would have guessed!!  That's another one I need to add to my manga tbr--I chronically watch and enjoy anime, then say I'll read the manga but never get to it lolll.

4 hours ago, Slowswift said:

• is We Never Learn. It's possibly the best harem romance* out there. Not only is the MC a genuinely great guy with satisfying character growth, the author decided he wasn't satisfied with a single ending--no, he was going to give each of the girls their own alternate ending volume. Truly the GOAT.

Oh, that's really cool! A bit like a dating sim with the multiple endings. 

1 hour ago, #1 Taln Fan said:

Spy family is excellent, and def one of my favorites. I also really enjoyed Solo Leveling, though it's technically manhwa 

My sister recommended Solo Leveling, but I'm hesitant because it seems pretty basic . . . but I see tons of people love it? I must be missing something lol.

[#1 Taln Fan he/him]

7 minutes ago, Magi said:

My sister recommended Solo Leveling, but I'm hesitant because it seems pretty basic . . . but I see tons of people love it? I must be missing something lol.

It is pretty basic tbf. There's not like any amazing emotional character development or anything. It's a simple premise, but it's just executed really well, and has some beautiful art and some really cool moments. I found myself very addicted and read the manga in like 3 days xD

[Mags she/they]

4 minutes ago, #1 Taln Fan said:

It is pretty basic tbf. There's not like any amazing emotional character development or anything. It's a simple premise, but it's just executed really well, and has some beautiful art and some really cool moments. I found myself very addicted and read the manga in like 3 days xD

Oh alright! Interesting! Sort of like demon slayer, then.

[#1 Taln Fan he/him]

6 minutes ago, Magi said:

Oh alright! Interesting! Sort of like demon slayer, then.

Yep! Def similar

[Wierdo he/him]

Huh, well- one of the last ones i read was Berserk- i read all of it inn- three days total because i was bored- i loved the Fullmetal manga, annnd- i don't know what else to say

[Ookla de los Cuervos he/him]

5 hours ago, Slowswift said:

Love you too  

I'll start by mentioning that, for anyone interested, the VIZ Media and Shonen Jump apps have functionally unlimited access (100 chapters/day, IIRC) for a very reasonable subscription. 

Regarding my favorite, I'm going to cheat and mention three (but they're entirely different genres, so nyeh). 

1. is SPY x FAMILY (go figure). The perfect blend of tense, moving plot and goofy shenanigans with an art style I find really appealing. 
2. is We Never Learn. It's possibly the best harem romance* out there. Not only is the MC a genuinely great guy with satisfying character growth, the author decided he wasn't satisfied with a single ending--no, he was going to give each of the girls their own alternate ending volume. Truly the GOAT.
3. Cross Manage is an adorable, short (canceled early, never made it to print in the US) sports manga about a guy managing a struggling girls' lacrosse team. I come back to this one every once in a while because it's medicine for the soul.

Currently reading Blue Box as it comes out. There's a handful that I've started and haven't yet finished or caught up with (yay burnout!), such as Komi Can't Communicate, Fly Me to the Moon, Chainsaw Man, One Punch Man, Undead Unluck, and Akane-banashi, and Frieren.

* I really, really hate the name for this genre, but this is the world we live in.

i remember reading the SPY x FAMILY manga after watching the anime and suddenly realizing what the heck theyre talking about in the beginning scenes.

for me, im currently reading Black Torch and Blue Box, which are both really good, but apparently Black Torch got cut short but still got an english release.

[Mags she/they]

2 hours ago, Wierdo said:

Huh, well- one of the last ones i read was Berserk- i read all of it inn- three days total because i was bored- i loved the Fullmetal manga, annnd- i don't know what else to say

Yaaaaaaaaay Fullmetal is the goat.

[Eluvianii he/him]

Interesting. I don't think I've read enough to have a set favorite. At the moment maybe Erased, or Evangelion. I liked the few changes the latter did in regards to the original anime. It's a cool different take on the story. 

Actually, I think a definite favorite would be xxxHolic were it not for the last 4 or 5 volumes. Here's hoping they were actually intentional and Rei does something about it. 

Also always a good time to mention Flying Witch. Must be the most relaxing coziest stake-less thing I've ever read. Think Kiki but in high school and without the conflict. High recommend. 

[Mags she/they]

On 2/27/2025 at 12:34 PM, Eluvianii said:

Actually, I think a definite favorite would be xxxHolic were it not for the last 4 or 5 volumes. Here's hoping they were actually intentional and Rei does something about it. 

 

Oh interesting! I've heard a lot about xxxHolic because I was a really big Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles fan in middle school. I haven't gotten to it myself, though my sister said she really liked it.

[Use the Falchion]

On 2/26/2025 at 3:30 PM, Magi said:

What's you're favorite manga?

What manga are you currently reading, or read last?

Have any interesting manga recommendations?

Manga you plan to start soon?

 

Favorite: Rurouni Kenshin. It was the first real manga I got into, and I find the original run to be long enough to feel like you've gone on a journey, but not so long that you've overstayed your welcome. Its themes feel solid and well-explored, and the characters are charming and memorable. The original anime run was a favorite back in the day, and the live action movies are some of the best manga/anime-to-live-action I've ever seen. The creator right now is controversial at best due to some...stuff...and the Hokkaido Arc is mediocre at best, but the original run is still one of the best shonen manga runs of all time, IMO. 

Currently Reading: Sakamoto Days, One Piece, Spy x Family, Witch Watch, Shinobi Undercover, Ichi the Witch, Syd Craft: Love Is a Mystery, Kaiju No. 8, and One Punch Man

Ones I drop in-and-out of: Kill Blue, Akane-Banashi, 

Interesting Recs: Sweetness & Lightning and Silver Spoon. Sweetness & Lightning is a lighter manga about a widower learning how to cook for his daughter via one of his students. (He's a high school teacher. NOTHING UNTOWARD OR ILLEGAL HAPPENS, AND THE MANGA REALLY ONLY HINTS THAT THE CRUSH IS ONE-SIDED.) Silver Spoon is a manga about a young man who ends up in an agricultural school in Hokkaido IIRC, and it's by the same mangaka as Full Metal Alchemist!

 

EDIT: Psyren was also pretty fun for a while. However, it really fell off in the final 2/5 or so of the story. They dropped a LOT of characters who were supposed to be the main cast, and the powers got too unwieldy for the plot to handle. Blazer Drive and/or O-Parts Hunter (aka 666 Satan...*shudders*) were written and drawn by Seishi Kishimoto, the younger twin brother of Masashi Kishimoto aka the mangaka behind Naruto. The similarities between O-Parts Hunter and Blazer Drive, and Naruto, are INSANE. It's an interesting experience.  

EDIT 2: Since we're on the "mid-2000s Shonen" train, if you've never read Zatch Bell in its entirety, or Rave Master, I also highly recommend those. 

Edited March 7, 2025 by Use the Falchion

[Mags she/they]

24 minutes ago, Use the Falchion said:

Favorite: Rurouni Kenshin. It was the first real manga I got into, and I find the original run to be long enough to feel like you've gone on a journey, but not so long that you've overstayed your welcome. Its themes feel solid and well-explored, and the characters are charming and memorable. The original anime run was a favorite back in the day, and the live action movies are some of the best manga/anime-to-live-action I've ever seen. The creator right now is controversial at best due to some...stuff...and the Hokkaido Arc is mediocre at best, but the original run is still one of the best shonen manga runs of all time, IMO. 

Oh yes! I really enjoyed Rurouni Kenshin when I read it a few years ago! I'm a sucker for historically based adventures, and I found all the characters and plot lines so gripping. I haven't read anything outside of the original series. It's a real shame about the creator, I didn't find out about the situation until quite a while after I'd finished it.

25 minutes ago, Use the Falchion said:

Silver Spoon is a manga about a young man who ends up in an agricultural school in Hokkaido IIRC, and it's by the same mangaka as Full Metal Alchemist!

Silver Spoon is another of my favorites! I don't normally read contemporary-ish stories because they're not to my taste, but Hiromu Arakawa's work is just so lovely I read and enjoyed it anyway. I find it particularly fun because I've grown up in a semi-agricultural area, so while I certainly didn't attend a school like in the story, I was taught many of the same things growing up. It was a fun connection!

[+Slowswift]

@Use the Falchion Is Witch Watch any good? I started it a while back but got the feeling it was going to be pure hijinks with no real development. I'd love to be wrong.

Also, Sweetness & Lightning is absolutely adorable and I'm still pissed that Crunchyroll dropped it. The concept of licencing is one of humanity's great follies.

[Use the Falchion]

@Slowswift Witch Watch is really fun, but it's definitely a lighter, slower Slice-of-Life story. There will be entire chapters dedicated to an in-world manga and story that some of the characters have written and may or may not be loosely based on the main characters' lives. (I honestly can't remember this fact, since I tend to skim those chapters.) The characters DO develop, but it's very, VERY slow, over the course of dozens of chapters and arcs. Most of the manga IS hijinks, with puns and whatnot built in-between, and then some nice action arcs every now and then to break up the monotony and introduce some new cool characters. 

Last week's chapter (Chapter 191) was about an elementary school some of the younger cast members go to, putting on their school play - Momotaro. (This is nostalgic for me for various reasons, ironically enough.) The Director, however, couldn't find a way to choose one or two roles, and ended up giving each student the role they wanted. This in turn created an incredibly absurd but still fun comic with light jabs at how parents all want THEIR kid to be the star, how modern perspectives mean that stories may need to be revised, and just the overall absurd nature of the comic. If you're not afraid of spoilers, that's definitely one of the standalone issues I'd recommend trying out.

Meanwhile, week's chapter, 192, is starting off a character development arc, addressing their flaws and their love life all in one. 

Overall, I find Witch Watch to be a good balance to when other series focus on the action or I just want something a little lighter. (...and Spy x Family is either focused on the geopolitical arcs and darkness, or when it's on a break.)

[+Slowswift]

@Use the Falchion Thanks for the summary! I'll give it another try.

[Mags she/they]

You know what's really funny? I somehow managed to miss the fact that both my school library and city library had more volumes of With Hat Atelier suddenly 

Only my highschool library has the precious vol. 13 that just came out . . . which means I need to hurry and read everything I haven't gotten to yet before I graduate! Unfortunately some of them are checked out, but not the very next one I need, so I'm going to try and get my hands on it, lol.

This is why we pay attention, kids.

[+Slowswift]

I had previously read the first two volumes of Wotakoi (and loved them), but now I've got time to myself and the box set, so here we go.

[ruler of the mists He/His/the survivor of the pit]

Attack on titan

 

 

[Mags she/they]

Volume 10 of WHA finished, and Volumes 11 and 12 acquired from the library! I'm really enjoying where the story is going, and the themes and writing are so good!!

I also read the third volume of Tal: Daughter of the Moon. It's a French come inspired by manga and jrpgs that I found at my school library that I'm really enjoying. It's not too complicated, or unique, and I might be a little old for it. But the art is lovely I think it's really fun.

I did find that my city library has the first two Trigun 'prologue' volumes, which I thought it didn't have at first. I really need to get around to reading it before it goes overdue, lol.

[Ookla de los Cuervos he/him]

Dark Gathering. Highly recommend. its a horror manga, but it makes me laugh far too hard, it goes along at a fast clip, and the protag is great. I don't find it all that scary, but there are some things that I might say are a bit... much (volume 6... YIPES). Its horror, so of course it doesn't shy away from blood and guts. but it is genuinely one of my favorite manga and its done incredibly. 

[Mags she/they]

I finally read the first volume of Frieren: Beyond Journeys End! Even though I still haven't finished Trigun or gotten caught up wih WHA . . . it'll happen eventually lol. I really want to just binge Frieren so I can get caught up before it's hiatus ends lol, but I'm reading so many other things.

In general, I think I have a bias towards Frierens anime, simply because part of why it's so amazing is the fantastic cinematography and direction. The manga is of course very very similar, but I think the paneling doesn't live up to the anime. It's not bad at all, but I've read so many series that had masterful paneling lately that it's hard to compare them lol. Even so, I'm still enjoying it a lot and I definitely look forward to reading the stuff that hasn't been animated yet.

[+Slowswift]

How to determine the mangaka's favorite character:

1. She has the best character arc
2. He routinely draws her rear end in great detail (clothed, it’s not that kind of series) 
3. He names her after Jesus

I mean, she's my favorite too, so good job? I guess?

Edited July 31, 2025 by Slowswift